CHAPTER 241: THE BEGINNING OF THE TOURNAMENT

The next day arrived with the familiar notification chime flashing across Noah’s retina, instantly cutting through the peaceful silence of his traditional Japanese room.

Noah woke from his comfortable futon and stared at the notification with anticipation, a huge grin plastering itself across his face. This familiar morning alert had become more valuable to him than any ’good morning’ greeting from a beautiful girl could be.

[You have been awarded your daily income: $468,000]

[You have been awarded your daily income: Amulet of Protection (Tier 5)]

[You have been awarded your daily income: Eye of Apollo (Tier 5)]

Nearly half a million dollars alongside two Tier 5 magical artefacts as daily income represented the kind of morning windfall that made waking up genuinely exciting. The financial security and magical resources accumulating automatically while he slept never failed to make him feel good.

Noah had deliberately chosen to receive the Eye of Apollo instead of the $150,000 cash equivalent for the mystical herbal tea income stream. The system’s flexibility allowed him to select any previous purchase that had been registered for a specific product, giving him strategic options beyond simple monetary rewards.

Although the Eye of Apollo was technically worth less in pure market value, approximately $110,000 compared to the tea’s $150,000 equivalent.

Noah had made the choice for reasons that went beyond immediate financial gain.

The decision stemmed from his respect for Lola and recognition of what the artefact likely meant to her personally. He wanted to eventually return the original Eye of Apollo she had traded for the mystical herbal tea, understanding that such a powerful item probably held significance beyond its monetary worth.

Based on her generous personality and their growing relationship, Noah was confident that Lola would gladly accept the return of her original artefact in exchange for one of the mystical herbal teas that formed part of her daily employment compensation.

She’s always been more than fair in our dealings, Noah thought with warm appreciation for her character.

But his desire to return the Eye of Apollo went deeper than simple business courtesy. As the displaced princess of the Lilin clan, Lola had been forced to fend for herself from a very young age after witnessing her family’s brutal assassination.

The Eye of Apollo had likely been acquired through blood, sweat, and tears during her years of exile and preparation for eventual vengeance. Alternatively, the artefact could represent a precious family relic. One of the few tangible connections she retained to her murdered parents and heritage.

Either way, the Eye of Apollo probably held sentimental value that went beyond its considerable magical and monetary worth. Returning it would be a gesture of respect for her and acknowledgement of the sacrifices she’d made to survive and grow stronger.

A small gesture, but meaningful ones matter most to people who’ve lost everything.

The morning light filtering through his traditional windows reminded Noah that tournament activities would soon begin.

—

Host: Noah Carter

Age: 28

Shop Level: 2

Daily Revenue: $736,500 (or equivalent)

Current Assets: $11,178,840

Shop Points: 25,110

Attributes: Strength: 60, Vitality: 60, Intelligence: 60, Agility: 60

Skills:

[Level 11:] Swordsmanship

[Level 10:] Mana Control, Aura, Wind Manipulation, Body Tempering

[Level 3:] Surviving on Ramen, Cooking, Finance, Gaming

[Level 2:] Programming

—

After checking his status, Noah suddenly placed his palm against his face in genuine regret and annoyance at his own oversight.

He had possessed the financial capability to purchase the next shop item yesterday, but his excitement over hitting certain financial milestones had made him completely forget about expanding his product line.

"Too many things happening at once," Noah muttered softly to himself with frustration. "The tournament, training, managing two warring kingdoms... forget it. There’s no use crying over spilt milk. I’ll just buy it now."

Noah stepped through his portal into the shop, where he found Lola sitting behind the counter engaged in playful interaction with Leo. She didn’t have much work to occupy her time, and entertaining herself alongside the young lion had become an enjoyable way to pass the quieter moments.

"Good morning," Noah said as he entered, his voice carrying the warmth that had become natural whenever he saw her.

Lola looked up from Leo with that smile that never failed to make his chest tighten slightly—the one that managed to be both innocent and knowing at the same time.

"Well, well," she purred, her ruby eyes sparkling with mischief. "Someone looks refreshed this morning. Did you sleep well... alone?"

The way she emphasized the last word carried just enough suggestion that would have made the previous Noah’s cheeks warm.

"I slept fine, thank you. How was your night shift?" Noah replied, keeping his voice calm and steady, despite the way she was looking at him.

"Peaceful," Lola said, rising gracefully from her position. "Though I found myself wondering what you were up to. You seemed... tense when you left yesterday."

Her movement brought her closer to him, close enough that he caught the subtle scent of something that reminded him of midnight flowers.

"Just some personal preparation," Noah managed, acutely aware of how her presence seemed to make the shop feel smaller somehow.

"Mmm," she hummed with obvious amusement at his slightly flustered state. "Well, you look ready for anything now."

The compliment, delivered in that voice that always seemed to carry hidden meanings, made Noah grateful for his enhanced constitution—otherwise, his heart rate might have given way.

Clearing his throat, Noah turned toward the shop interface to focus on business matters rather than the complicated feelings that Lola’s presence always seemed to stir up.

[Item 7: Luxury Fruit Smoothie]

[Effects: Randomly upgrades one skill/ability. Increases all attributes by 100% for an hour. Permanently increases agility and strength by 30 upon first consumption. Contains a small percentage of awakening a dormant skill.]

[Price: $5,000,000]

Noah stared at the price tag with genuine shock, his instincts warring with his financial prudence.

’Five million dollars. That’s absolutely insane pricing, but the effects...’